Being the amazing, true-to-life adventures and (very likely) misadventures of a writer who seeks to take his education, activism and seemingly boundless energy to North Minneapolis, (NoMi) to help with a process of turning a rapidly revitalizing neighborhood into something approaching Urban Utopia. I am here to be near my child. From 02/08 to 06/15 this blog pushed free speech to the envelope, so others could take heart and speak unafraid. Email me at hoffjohnw@gmail.com

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Celebrating Earth Day At Connie's $7,900 House In NoMi...

Photos and blog post by John Hoff

Recently, I was lucky enough to have my son Alex over for a weekend visitation on Earth Day. We went to Farview Park and saw a science demonstration about groundwater. Woo hoo.

I certainly hope as Earth Day continues to develop we will have traditions that are a lot more fun. For example, recycled and re-purposed presents for friends and family. Heck, just take the old leftover Christmas stuff you don't want and give it to somebody else.

But, anyway, after Farview Park we needed a ride--my new vehicle named "Lefty" was getting fixed out of town--so we walked over to Connie Nompelis' house near Farview Park, figuring Jeff would be there hula-hooping and we could bum a ride. Sure enough...There was Jeff doing a new hula move, click here for more details.

South Minneapolis (SoMi) activist Brian Finstad was there, and gave Alex a tour of the house so Alex could see the amazing transformation. Alex hadn't been inside the house since the night of the housewarming, so he found the changes truly notable.

Finstad kindly made a point of telling Alex how "your dad" managed to figure out a way to get the nasty, smelly fridge out the back door like an oversized Chinese puzzle; opening the fridge door and putting it outside door first, making it wheel around like a frumpy ballerina and then repeatedly kicking it to force it through, somehow doing this WITHOUT breaking the door frame. Good times.

Outside, a friend of Brian was patching up the foundation. All in all, it was a low-key but fun earth day with THE COOLEST SON EVER in a rapidly revitalizing neighborhood which has made frequent and good quality visitation possible. NoMi might be "Divorced Daddyville" but it sure beats "Lives Too Far Away From His Kid In The Twin Cities To Spend Meaningful Time Together Daddyville."